1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus and a projector.
2. Related Art
There is a known projector of related art that modulates light emitted from a light source in accordance with image information and projects the modulated light on a screen or any other surface. The projector, in which a power supply that supplies optical parts, a light source, and other components arranged in the projector with electric power and other members generate heat, includes a cooling apparatus that cools the heat-generating members (see JP-A-2008-72019, for example).
The cooling apparatus described in JP-A-2008-72019 includes a centrifugal fan as a cooling fan and a fan fixing apparatus that supports and fixes the centrifugal fan. The fan fixing apparatus includes a base plate, a first press portion, a second press portion, and a duct portion.
A first attachment portion and a second attachment portion are formed on side end portions of the centrifugal fan and swell outward from the side end portions.
The first press portion has a first extending portion, and the first extending portion is formed of a first extending portion main body and a first vibration absorption member. The second press portion has a second extending portion, and the second extending portion is formed of a second extending portion main body and a second vibration absorption member.
The centrifugal fan is so supported by and fixed to the fan fixing apparatus that the first attachment portion is sandwiched between the first extending portion and the base plate and the second attachment portion is sandwiched between the second extending portion and the base plate.
The cooling apparatus is then fixed in an exterior casing via a fixing portion provided on the fan fixing apparatus.
However, in the cooling apparatus described in JP-A-2008-72019, although the centrifugal fan is supported and fixed via the first vibration absorption member and the second vibration absorption member, vibration produced when the centrifugal fan is driven is transmitted to the base plate, the duct portion, and other portions of the fan fixing apparatus, and the base plate, the duct portion, and other portions can undesirably resonate. That is, it is conceivable to configure the centrifugal fan in such away that the number of revolutions thereof is changeable in accordance with the environment in which the projector is used, drive electric power supplied from a power supply, and other factors, but the numbers of revolutions corresponding to the natural frequencies of the base plate, the duct portion, and other portions may fall within the range of the changeable numbers of revolutions. When the number of revolutions of the centrifugal fan coincides with the number of revolutions corresponding to the natural frequency of any of the base plate, the duct portion, and other portions, the corresponding one of the base plate, the duct portion, and other portions resonates, resulting in a problem of an increase in noise from the cooling apparatus.
JP-A-2008-72019 does not describe a cooling apparatus fixing structure in detail. It is, however, believed that the disclosed drawings show a structure in which a U-shaped cutout is provided in the fixing portion on the fan fixing apparatus, the cooling apparatus is pressed against the power supply (power supply unit), and a screw is inserted into the cutout and fixed to the exterior casing. That is, the cooling apparatus described in JP-A-2008-72019 has a fixing structure using the power supply, and the location where the cooling apparatus is disposed is therefore limited. The technology described in JP-A-2008-72019 therefore does not allow efficient use of a dead space in the exterior casing, possibly resulting in a problem of an increase in the size of the projector.